Page 77 of River of Deceit

“Do you have a lot of it?” Pandora asks. “Anyway, River, walk with me.” She glances at me and Blaze. “I guess you two could come. If you want to accompany me while I discover all the snake nests on campus.”

“No,” I say. “River has things to do for Kappa Alpha.” I stare at River, daring him to argue.

He grimaces. “Rain check, Pandora,” he says.

I’ll have to find a way to punish him for speaking directly to her.

Pandora pouts at us. “Maybe I should stick with all of you then. If you’re giving free shows out in public, I want to watch, too.”

“There are no free…” Blaze edges closer, and the snake wriggles. Blaze immediately stops moving. “There’s nothing to see here, Pandora. Move along.”

Pandora gives him a nasty grin. “You sure? There was quite the acrobatic event at the greenhouse the other day.”

I look between the two of them, fighting back jealousy I don’t like or understand. “Go on, Pandora,” I echo. “We’re going back to the frat house, and you’re going to deal with that… snakeage.”

“If you say so.” Pandora creeps over to River, then gets on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

Another sudden spike of jealousy goes through me.

“He isn’t allowed to talk to women,” I say.

“It’s okay. He didn’t say a word!” Pandora answers before stepping into my personal space.

I’m hyper aware of the snake she’s still holding, her hand near its head.

“Be nice to River,” Pandora says before kissing my cheek too.

I freeze, not sure what to make of the gesture, but I don’t pull away. I’m not giving her that kind of satisfaction.

She’s already getting enough satisfaction from intimidating Blaze, which isn’t something I’m used to seeing.

I grudgingly admit that it’s… interesting.

Sheis interesting.

Pandora heads toward Blaze, but he backs away again. “I don’t need a kiss. Just get out of here.”

“Blaze Bouchard, afraid of a harmless little rat snake,” Pandora says with a laugh. She waves and starts walking off. “I’ll keep that in mind!”

I turn to face River. “Aren’t you afraid she’s going to bite your dick off?” I ask.

River snorts. “No. I haven’t done anything to deserve it.” But he doesn’t look quite as certain as he’s trying to sound.

They walk off—in opposite directions—and Blaze finally approaches again, visibly seething.

“That fucking bitch. She did that to save him some humiliation?” Blaze stares after her. “What the fuck is their connection that she’d risk pissing us off for him?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”

One way or another.

16

RIVER

I stare into the dark woods, and I imagine all the ways somebody could kill and dispose of a body here if something goes wrong tonight. The only light we have is the half-moon and the flashlights the frat guys have provided for us.

Out of the twenty-five pledges who started hell week, only twelve remain. I’m surprised that Franklin has made it this far, but he’s persevered despite the suffering.